The 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup-Challenge Cup play-off was the second play-off for entry into the top-level competition of European Club rugby union, the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Format Following the two-team play-off in 2014–15, an expanded, four-team format was due to be used. However, on 24 September 2014, it was announced this would instead be a three-team play-off, with the highest placed non-qualifying team taking part.

To accommodate the longer season in the French Top 14, the format was announced as follows: One team each would qualify from the Premiership and the Pro12, with each league being represented by the highest placed team not already qualified. These two teams would play in the first game, with home advantage in the match would be decided by a coin toss. In the event that the 2014–15 European Rugby Challenge Cup winner was a Premiership club, and it had not automatically qualified for the Champions Cup, it would take the place allocated to a Premiership team. The winner of the first game would host the 7th placed team in the French Top 14. The winner of that game would qualify for the Champions Cup.

Gloucester became the first team to qualify for the play-off, taking the place allocated to the Premiership, when they beat Edinburgh 19–13 in the Challenge Cup final on 1 May 2015. This result meant that the 7th place team in the 2014–15 Premiership will no longer take part in the play-off, and will compete in the Challenge Cup. Connacht qualified next, when the finished seventh in the 2014–15 Pro12 with 50 points, narrowly edging Edinburgh who had 48 points. Bordeaux Bègles qualified for the play-off on 23 May 2015.

Connacht played Gloucester away at Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday 24 May 2015, with the venue having been decided earlier by a coin toss. It was decided that, in the event of a Gloucester win, the second play-off match would be played at Sixways Stadium in Worcester, to avoid a clash of fixtures with a Madness concert.

Teams League Team Coach Stadium Premiership Gloucester David Humphreys Kingsholm Stadium Pro12 Connacht Pat Lam Galway Sportsgrounds Top 14 Bordeaux Bègles Raphaël Ibañez Stade André Moga

Matches

Match 1

FB 15 Charlie Sharples RW 14 Jonny MayOC 13 Bill MeakesIC 12 Billy Twelvetrees (c)LW 11 Henry Purdy FH 10 James HookSH 9 Greig LaidlawN8 8 Ross Moriarty OF 7 Dan Thomas BF 6 Jacob RowanRL 5 Tom PalmerLL 4 Tom SavageTP 3 John Afoa HK 2 Richard Hibbard LP 1 Nick Wood Replacements:HK 16 Darren Dawidiuk PR 17 Yann Thomas PR 18 Shaun Knight LK 19 Elliott Stooke FL 20 Lewis Ludlow SH 21 Dan Robson FH 22 Billy BurnsFB 23 Rob Cook Coach: David Humphreys FB 15 Tiernan O'Halloran RW 14 Fionn Carr OC 13 Robbie HenshawIC 12 Bundee AkiLW 11 Matt HealyFH 10 Jack CartySH 9 John Cooney N8 8 Eoin McKeon OF 7 Eoghan Masterson BF 6 John Muldoon (c)RL 5 Aly MuldowneyLL 4 George Naoupu TP 3 Rodney Ah You HK 2 Tom McCartney LP 1 Denis Buckley Replacements:HK 16 Dave Heffernan PR 17 JP Cooney PR 18 Finlay Bealham LK 19 Andrew Browne FL 20 James Connolly SH 21 Ian Porter FH 22 Miah Nikora CE 23 Shane O'Leary Coach: Pat Lam

Gloucester advanced to play Bordeaux Bègles. Connacht went on to compete in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Match 2

FB 15 Rob CookRW 14 Charlie SharplesOC 13 Bill Meakes IC 12 Billy Twelvetrees (c)LW 11 Henry PurdyFH 10 James HookSH 9 Greig LaidlawN8 8 Ross MoriartyOF 7 Jacob Rowan BF 6 Sione Kalamafoni RL 5 Tom PalmerLL 4 Tom SavageTP 3 John Afoa HK 2 Richard Hibbard LP 1 Nick Wood Replacements:HK 16 Darren Dawidiuk PR 17 Yann Thomas PR 18 Shaun Knight LK 19 Elliott Stooke N8 20 Dan Thomas SH 21 Callum BraleyFH 22 Billy BurnsFB 23 Steve McColl Coach: David Humphreys FB 15 Lionel Beauxis RW 14 Metuisela TalebulaOC 13 Félix Le BourhisIC 12 Julien ReyLW 11 Blair ConnorFH 10 Pierre BernardSH 9 Heini Adams N8 8 Peter SailiOF 7 Hugh Chalmers BF 6 Louis-Benoît Madaule (c) RL 5 Berend Botha LL 4 Jandré MaraisTP 3 Patrick Toetu HK 2 Ole Avei LP 1 Jefferson Poirot Replacements:HK 16 Clément Maynadier PR 17 Jean-Baptiste Poux PR 18 Francisco Gómez Kodela LK 19 Adam Jaulhac N8 20 Matthew Clarkin SH 21 Yann Lesgourgues CE 22 Jayden SpenceFB 23 Baptiste Serin Coach: Raphaël Ibañez

Bordeaux Bègles qualified for the 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup. Gloucester played in the 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

See also 2015–16 European Rugby Champions Cup 2015–16 European Rugby Challenge Cup

References